In the midst of Fashion Week, a furious Blair learns that her mother, Eleanor, at the suggestion of her protege Jenny, has given Serena and her new socialite friend, Poppy Lifton, front row seats to the Eleanor Waldorf show. Hurt once again by Serena's popularity and her mother's betrayal, Blair decides to sabotage the show. Meanwhile, Dan starts hanging out with Chuck, but a walk on the dark side always has its risks and Dan learns that the hard way. Lily learns a secret that her new husband, Bart, has been keeping from her.

Serena throws Jenny a sixteenth birthday party, but things spin out of control when Poppy Lifton turns the party into the social event of the season. Vanessa agrees to help Chuck in a plan concerning Blair and Nate. Meanwhile, Rufus searches for a way to cover Dan's tuition when he learns he will not receive financial aid to go to Yale.

Serena returns from her trip to Spain with Poppy and Gabriel. Blair makes a secret deal with Nate's grandfather. Dan takes a job to earn money for college.

Georgina returns to the Upper East Side but it's not the same Georgina we all knew, she's changed. Chuck and Nate's relationship is at a crossroads because of their mutual interest in Blair. Serena's relationship with Gabriel gets more complicated.

Blair puts pressure on Georgina to making amends for her past bad behavior by helping her in an evil plan. The rivalry between Nate and Chuck over Blair reaches a boiling point. Lily makes a secret plan to help Rufus with Dan's college tuition.

Trying to prove herself in adult society, Serena hosts the Central Park Conservancy’s big gala, of which she is now the newest Board Member, and she and Nate both learn something shocking about their significant others. Blair prepares to debut her new fashion line, but a rival from her past holds the key to her future. With the help of Georgina, Dan lands some meetings with publishers, but he must decide if he is willing to sacrifice his integrity in order to get his work published. Meanwhile, Chuck tries to persuade Amira to help him look into his father’s past, even if it means jeopardizing Lily and Bart’s relationship.